General Imperial Government

[Condottiere]

Reaction time and power projection.

The British Empire imperial strategy could be loosely described as protecting British power and influence over India at all costs.

Considering what I've learned about Roman Egypt, Augustus understood this for the Roman Jewel in the Crown, his later successors may have not.

 

[Bromo33333]

Reaction time and power projection.

The British Empire imperial strategy could be loosely described as protecting British power and influence over India at all costs.

Considering what I've learned about Roman Egypt, Augustus understood this for the Roman Jewel in the Crown, his later successors may have not.

It has been said that if you could observe the Mediterranean during the Imperial era of Rome, you would see a continuous stream of cargo ships transporting grain from Egypt to Rome, and a large "industrial" operation making bread to feed Romans in the city. Unemployment was about 60% at that time, and the only think keeping the peace was a generous welfare system (free bread) and a continuous stream of entertainment (gladiatoral games and chariot races) - the Emperors really did understand how important Egypt was, because a cut off of the supplies would create starvation and political instability.

Worth noting that the strongest Economy in Ancient Rome was in Greece and Asia Minor, and Egypt - the East. And they never really fell until thousand years after the West.

Even when Constantine moved the capital to Constantinople, Rome was still incredibly important and still relied on those ships.

When trade failed in the 450's the people from Rome ended up leaving and going to the countryside and by the 1100's Rome was basically abandoned (bandits and vagrants squatting was what was left) except for the Vatican. Makes an interesting model for the centuries after trade breaks down.

 

[CaptRet]

I always pegged the Zhodani Consulate to be a meritocratic oligarchy, but I could see it as a Representative Democracy considering that that's not too far off from the way the early US was governed, and the British PM isn't directly elected.

Agree about Hivers. It's not a "0" government, but it can act like one, but they are too capable of concerted efforts for it to be a huan "0"

What I love about Hivers is that they are very alien, but still relatable.

The Zhodani Consulate government as a Representative Democracy bears some partial resemblance to the government of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth during the 16th and early 17th centuries. The legislature (which was often more powerful than the elected king) was elected by the nobles (close to 10% of the population), with every noble (no matter how poor - and many were quite poor indeed) having the same 1 vote. Of course, in practice, rich and powerful magnates could exert economic and social pressures on poor nobles to vote with their clique.

 

[Bromo33333]

The Zhodani Consulate government as a Representative Democracy bears some partial resemblance to the government of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth during the 16th and early 17th centuries. The legislature (which was often more powerful than the elected king) was elected by the nobles (close to 10% of the population), with every noble (no matter how poor - and many were quite poor indeed) having the same 1 vote. Of course, in practice, rich and powerful magnates could exert economic and social pressures on poor nobles to vote with their clique.

Would that be a Represenative Democracy, or a Oligharchy? I suppose the actual pidgeonhole matters little.

 

[kilemall]

Would that be a Represenative Democracy, or a Oligharchy? I suppose the actual pidgeonhole matters little.

As I understand it, the government type is more 'as the player would experience it personally' not the theoretical backdrop or higher level matters.


So you could have a monarchy as head of state but functionally at the level of trade operations and law it's an Oligarchy.

 

[Condottiere]

The rot starts from the head.

An empire could be organically very bureaucratic, impartial and efficient, but top down policies does tend to impact your interaction with it.

 

[CaptRet]

Many years ago (when the earth was young) one of my favorite history professors said, "Louis the XIVth was an absolute monarch as far as his eye could see."